Pedal Question, LPB-1 vs. Tube Screamer vs. SD Pickup Booster Options

[just_chris]

I don't solo much, so I'm looking for a simple straight forward volume punch when needed. I have narrowed down to the following:

Electro-Harmonix LPhosphor Bronze1 Linear Power Booster


Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer Original


Seymour Duncan SFX01 Pickup Booster Pedal


I'm leaning toward the LPB-1 because its cheaper and just has the 1 dial. The Seymour Duncan would seem to make more sense if I played a strat.

Anyone care to weigh in on this?

[niffrotite]

I'm a fan of the tube screamer, love that pedal, but I haven't tried those others.

One thing to keep in mind, if you're looking for a volume boost and you already play with distortion/overdrive on your rhythm sound, you're not going to get much of a volume boost if any at all, it will just compress/overdrive your sound more. If you currently play a cleaner sound it will certainly make it louder and more full.

[just_chris]

I'm a fan of the tube screamer, love that pedal, but I haven't tried those others.

One thing to keep in mind, if you're looking for a volume boost and you already play with distortion/overdrive on your rhythm sound, you're not going to get much of a volume boost if any at all, it will just compress/overdrive your sound more. If you currently play a cleaner sound it will certainly make it louder and more full.

I rarely play clean... does it make a difference if the distortion is through the head rather than a pedal?

[niffrotite]

I rarely play clean... does it make a difference if the distortion is through the head rather than a pedal?

hmmm... I don't think so. even if you don't play clean it might work, if you don't play too overdriven already. if your sound is already screaming it's not really going to do much at all. you're basically adding more overdrive onto what is already overdriving the tubes and you can only push them so much, at some point it's just going to change your sound a little but it won't make it any louder or more overdriven (or it might overdrive it into fartsville).

keep in mind that for some people changing the sound/tone will make it cut through the rest of the band and be sufficient to hear yourself better. There's no cut & dry solution, it's all relative to what and how the rest of your band plays. Some people will use an EQ pedal to get a lead sound that cuts through, in a 2 guitar band I prefer to play a little cleaner for rhythm, and then kick on the tube screamer and it cuts through fine. other people prefer to use a volume pedal, but that's rare for a punk band (I think you're in a punk band?). And others (myself included) just use the volume knob on your guitar and adjust to the song/section/room/etc as you play.

This post has been edited by niffrotite: Dec 10 2009, 02:11 PM

[just_chris]

other people prefer to use a volume pedal, but that's rare for a punk band (I think you're in a punk band?). And others (myself included) just use the volume knob on your guitar and adjust to the song/section/room/etc as you play.

Salacious Crumb is now a part time band and I tend to fill in for other choppin' block bands quite a bit... I should probably just start messing with the neck and bridge pick up volumes for rhythm and shitty leads and save a few bucks.

[Pattie the Gimp]

I don't solo much, so I'm looking for a simple straight forward volume punch when needed. I have narrowed down to the following:

Electro-Harmonix LPhosphor Bronze1 Linear Power Booster


Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer Original


Seymour Duncan SFX01 Pickup Booster Pedal


I'm leaning toward the LPB-1 because its cheaper and just has the 1 dial. The Seymour Duncan would seem to make more sense if I played a strat.

Anyone care to weigh in on this?

I have an original Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer I am looking to sell if you are interested.

[just_chris]

I have an original Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer I am looking to sell if you are interested.

How well does it work when with distortion? I'm wicked ignorant to all this... I swore off pedals years ago because of peole jumping on them and I can't keep track of multiple things.

[swid]

I rarely play clean... does it make a difference if the distortion is through the head rather than a pedal?

Yes. If you're running a distortion pedal into a clean amp with available headroom, running a booster after the pedal will boost your distorted sound rather than merely adding to it.

It's most important here to understand how clipping works. In a nutshell, each stage of your audio chain has a limited bandwidth (headroom) of how much signal it can allow through -- when you exceed this bandwidth, it generates distortion by clipping your signal at its limits. Those limits don't change, so if you feed more signal into it, then your signal clips more and never really gets louder (it will get more compressed and seem louder in some ways, but if you're already really distorted, it's not going to be very perceivable). However, if your distortion pedal is where the clipping is happening, and your amp isn't clipped, well, then you should be able to boost that clipped signal into the other non-clipped device, if that makes sense.

Do you have an effects loop? If so, the best solution is to run a volume pedal in the loop with your volume attenuated by default, and when you go for a solo, just turn the pedal off to restore your volume to full -- it sounds backward, but it would work (don't do the obvious and run a booster here, because if your amp doesn't have certain safety measures, you could blow the amp).

. . .and back to the original subject, LPBs are good pedals. They're also one of the simplest pedal designs ever produced, which I like on principle, if nothing else.

[swid]

I should probably just start messing with the neck and bridge pick up volumes for rhythm and shitty leads and save a few bucks.

Unless your tone is really, really distorted and compressed (in which case it wouldn't be very effective anyways), you're gonna run into the same problem I mentioned above, whereby turning your volume knob down will give you less distortion than when it is up.

This post has been edited by swid: Dec 10 2009, 02:58 PM

[plastic_wrapped]

Salacious Crumb is now a part time band and I tend to fill in for other choppin' block bands quite a bit... I should probably just start messing with the neck and bridge pick up volumes for rhythm and shitty leads and save a few bucks.

Pickup switching makes such a huge difference I rarely hit pedals anymore. Especially if you have separate vol/tones.

What's a Choppin' Block band, you play with Pat Wilson or something?

[Pattie the Gimp]

How well does it work when with distortion? I'm wicked ignorant to all this... I swore off pedals years ago because of peole jumping on them and I can't keep track of multiple things.

The only way to use it is with distortion I think. I am a mininalist with pedals as well. I just have an overdrive and a noise supressor. I wasn't a fan of the Tube Screamer for my rig, but if you would like to try it out I have a space at the Denby Road Sound Museum if you wanna meet up and try some stuff. Also, some of these guys may be able to tell you better about the pedal. I got it and used it once. I have almost no insight on it. I just personally liked my RAT better.

[r_dorissa]

Some people will use an EQ pedal to get a lead sound that cuts through, in a 2 guitar band I prefer to play a little cleaner for rhythm, and then kick on the tube screamer and it cuts through fine. other people prefer to use a volume pedal, but that's rare for a punk band (I think you're in a punk band?). And others (myself included) just use the volume knob on your guitar and adjust to the song/section/room/etc as you play.

I've used an EQ pedal in this way, and I like the flexibility besides the volume boost.

[just_chris]

Pickup switching makes such a huge difference I rarely hit pedals anymore. Especially if you have separate vol/tones.

I play an SG and a Les Paul... so I should be able to swing this

What's a Choppin' Block band, you play with Pat Wilson or something?

...please tell me you were Vegas


Patti... thanks, I may take you up on that

thanks everyone... lots to consider here. I'm waiting for bandmates to check in and tell me that I should be more concerned with my singing.

[Pattie the Gimp]

I play an SG and a Les Paul... so I should be able to swing this

...please tell me you were Vegas
Patti... thanks, I may take you up on that

thanks everyone... lots to consider here. I'm waiting for bandmates to check in and tell me that I should be more concerned with my singing.

I also have alot of pickups I can install for ya right there and you can try out to see what you like. Pickups really are half the battle.

Have soldering iron, will travel !!!

[plastic_wrapped]

...please tell me you were Vegas

Sorry, no. I actually knew Pat from back in the day in NH, if you can believe that.

Re: pickup switching, it actually winds up being fun, finding the up or down stroke in a given part where you can hit the switch without breaking rhythm.

I also have alot of pickups I can install for ya right there and you can try out to see what you like. Pickups really are half the battle.

Have soldering iron, will travel !!!

Alligator clips, baby, don't solder til you see the whites of their eyes!

[Pattie the Gimp]

Sorry, no. I actually knew Pat from back in the day in NH, if you can believe that.

Re: pickup switching, it actually winds up being fun, finding the up or down stroke in a given part where you can hit the switch without breaking rhythm.
Alligator clips, baby, don't solder til you see the whites of their eyes!

True that !

[Beantown Booking]

Stick to singing!!!